After You Left Us
by Mrs Bella Riddle
Summary: The events of December 28th, 1972 would go on to change the history of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. As time passes her by, Narcissa comes to realise what she might have lost. N/L


A/N: I'm writing my first Lucissa multi chapter fic! This is written for the 'Multichap Competition' so updates will be every week or so. I expect the fic will be about 7 chapters long and focus on a very important event in canon. The date will be very clear as you begin to read.

)o(

It was so very quiet. Narcissa could hear the shuffling of tiny house elf footsteps in the main Entrance Hall and the songs of birds out of the open window. Everything else was filled by dull buzzing and a deadly silence.

Nothing could be said to break through the lull.

Her fingers ran alone the ageing spine of a book she had no interest in reading, as she looked across the room at her mother who was as still as a statue. She sat bolt upright her eyes focused on a spot on the cream wallpaper opposite her. Narcissa doubted she even blinked.

Narcissa tried to copy to pose with the same frozen disposition, but she could never quite match her mother. Every moment she flinched, drummed her fingers against her book or twisted to the doorway in the hope of gazing upon something she longed to see.

She and her mother were the only two home. Her father had already left for a discussion with her grandfather and cousin Arcturus to uncover some solution that she could not imagine existing. Bella had similarly left with no explanation, but presumably only on a useless quest to locate the sister that she could never find.

She barely stifled a sob, her hand curling around the text.

Narcissa knew the truth.

Andromeda was gone forever.

She had only seen her last night. She had noticed at dinner that Andromeda seemed a little off with her mind somewhere else, but Narcissa had not thought much on it. She had been concentrating on her plans with Lucius the following night and had only planned to talk to Andromeda later if she still seemed a little under the weather.

She had never got that chance.

The family had woken to discover a note detailing something that could only occur in a nightmare.

Andromeda had run off with a mudblood to marry the filth. She would never be back. Cissy doubted she could ever come back after she had disgraced herself in such a way.

She effectively only had one sister now.

Her body shook. She could no longer hold back the sobs.

The book tumbled from her hand with a dull clang as she rose to her feet. She could not bear to look at her mother and see her disappointment at her failure to hold in her emotions as she dashed off in the direction of the Entrance Hall. The elaborate and ornate decorations did not extract her notice as she collapsed against the nearby panelled wall. Tears leaked down her eyes and she held up a gloved hand to her mouth trying to stifle the pitiful moans that escaped her lips.

She could not do this. She was not so perfect at holding in her emotions like her mother or so skilled at battling them like Bellatrix. She had tried and tried to be like her mother, but she could never be so successful.

Andromeda would have understood. Dromeda had always tried to be a perfect rock that would not shake or crumple. She would only have sat still without expression until later when she would complain for only Cissy to hear.

She never would again.

Dromeda was gone.

It was impossible to contain herself as Narcissa pressed herself further into the wall.

How could this have happened? How could they have lost their city? How could she have done this to herself? How could Andromeda have left them all?

The sound of the heels and the front door blasting off its hinges into the opposite wall drew her from her trance.

Darting upwards, she whipped the tears from her eyes and tried to hide the evidence of her sorrow, but it was impossible and obvious from her red eyes and the black mascara smears on her cheeks.

Bellatrix stood there. The wind behind her was ruffling her hair and robes marking her as an ominous presence. Narcissa cringed against herself waiting for the eruption.

None came.

Dark eyes focused on her and, for the first time, Narcissa swore she saw a trace of sorrow in those eyes. No tears were apparent, but the eyes were wide and shinning.

"Bella," Cissy all but whimpered her voice shook as she slowly pushed her way from the wall and approached her only sister. "Did you find her?"

As soon as the words left her mouth the sympathetic look from her sister fell away replaced by the familiar spark of fury. "No," Bella growled her teeth clenching. Automatically, Narcissa stopped walking feeling foolish for ever thinking Bella would comfort her. The only sister who would, was now gone. "And she won't be back. She is nothing but a blood traitor."

Narcissa forced herself to not cry, but a whimper must have escaped her throat. Bella's eyes snapped back to her and she walked towards her. Cissy felt herself flinch waiting for some sort of attack. Bella would not normally hurt her, but it was hard to imagine what her sister's temper would cause her to do.

It did not happen. Instead, she rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Cissy." Bella's voice was soft and low. She leaned into it knowing it was the only sort of comfort that she would get from her. "It's only the two of us now, but we only need one sister."

Slowly, she nodded and tried to smile as Bella's lips twisted upwards.

Neither sister's expression looked at all genuine.

It was only an act.


End file.
